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Kashmir Newz Board

16 killed in Kashmir snowfall

Srinagar, February 08, 2008:

At least 16 people died in avalanches and house collapses in Indian administered Kashmir Friday as the region witnessed heavy snowfall for the last few days.

Four more people fell to bad weather since Wednesday
Six members of a family died in Ramban area of the region were among the dead, while another six died in Kapran village of south Kashmir.

Three more died in Gurez sector close to line of control in north Kashmir.

Another man died while 39 others were rescued in Gulabbagh Qazigund in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.

Officials say they have rescued scores of people from avalanche hit areas in the last three days.

Rescuers recovered a three year child alive from underneath an avalanche hit house in Ramban area, from where six bodies were also recovered.

The region has been witnessing heavy snowfall ranging from more than 1 feet in Srinagar to about 15 feet in Doda district.

Authorities has sounded a red alert ahead of the snowfall warning people to apparent avalanches.

The Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir valley to rest of the world was closed due to snow and avalanches since Sunday.

The fair weather road serves as the only supply link to the Valley, and remains intermittently closed in winters and rainy season.
Another road link, the Jehlum Valley road connecting Srinagar to Muzaffarbad remains closed since Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan in 1947.

A fortnightly trans-Kashmir bus service carrying a limited number of permitted passengers was launched in April 2005.